INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21324, 27 October 1932, Page 13

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

THE BAKING TRADE NO DOMINION AGREEMENT DISTRICT PROCEEDINGS NEXT [by telegraph PRESS association] WELLINGTON. Wednesday No agreement was reached in conciliation council to-day when tho hearing of tho industrial dispute between the Now Zealand master bakers and the employees, adjourned from October 21, was continued. Although this means that proceedings on a Dominion basis have failed, district disputes have yet to be heard. The workers' assessors indicated they were not prepared to givo way on the question of wages, a 48-hour week and the question of junior labourers. Mr. T. D. Bishop, representing the employers, said he was afraid the meeting would have to agree to differ. There was no use dodging the facts. Substantial savings had to be made in the baking industry. Mr. Watson said the unions regarded tho employers' proposals as too drastic. The commissioner said he regretted that no agreement had been reached. A very earnest attempt had been made by both sides.

TYPOGRAPHICAL WORKERS PROPOSALS BY EMPLOYERS [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Wednesday Little progress was made in Conciliation Council to-day when proceedings arising out of a dispute between the New Zealand Master Printers' Association and the New Zealand Federated Newspaper Proprietors' Association on the one hand and the New Zealand Federated Typographical Association of Workers on the other hand were begun. The case is a result of citation by the employers. After a preliminary study of the employers' proposals, which were accepted as a basis for negotiation, and a lengthy discussion of the classification clause, upon which there was a sharp difference of opinion, proceedings were adjourned until 10 o'clock to-morrow morning. The Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. W. Newton, presided. The employers' proposals provide that the Dominion shall be classified into four groups, according to the population of centres, and that wages rates shall vary accordingly. Following are the proposed rates of pay in class 1 (cities with a population of 30,000 and over), the present award rates being given in parentheses: —Linotype operators, £4 10s a week (£5 10s, less 10 per cent); monotype operators, £4 7s 6d (£5 7s, less 10 pen- cent); other operators, £4 4s (£5 2s 6d, less 10 per cent). Wages proposed for linotype operators in other classes are Class 2 (cities and towns with populations of between 10.000 and 30,000), £4 9s a week; class 3 (between 4000 and 10,000), £4 7s; class 4 (under 4000), £4 ss. Stone and bulk hands and machine correctors in the four main centi*6S £4 4s. It is provided that night workers shall receive Is 6d a night extra, with a minimum of 7s 6d a week extra. Among the proposed alterations to the present award is a higher efficiency speed for operators, a 44-hour week, overtime at the rate of time and a-quarter, and an annual holidav of one week without pay. The workers' counter-proposals are on the basis of the present award. The Auckland Union, which is not a member of the federation, entered separate proposals embodying a 5 P er cent w ages increase on the present award.

METAL-WORKERS' WAGES POINT REFERRED TO COURT No agreement was reached at a hearing yesterday of the dispute concerning the proposed new award for tinsmiths, coppersmiths and sheet-metal workers. Mr. P. Hally, tonciliation commissioner, presided. The employers representative was Mr. S. E. Wright, secretary of the Auckland Employers' Association, the employees being represented by Mr. E. H. Burbidge, an official of the Amalgamated Engineering Union. Mr. Burbidge complained that the employers should have cited the Amalgamated Engineering Union of New Zealand instead of the local union. It was decided to obtain a ruling on the point from the Judge of the Arbitration Court, both sides agreeing to abide by his decision. The hearing wag adjourned pending receipt of the judge's ruling.